As Atoll Councils have been abolished due to a constitutional amendment to the Decentralisation Act, the former Atoll Council buildings have now been designated as Local Government Authority (LGA) branches.
Atoll Councils have been abolished as part of a comprehensive restructuring of the country’s administrative and local government system. Both the government and parliament have worked together to ensure that this is organised in a way to maintain the employment and salaries of civil service staff of these councils.
The Section 58 of the Decentralisation Act (Act No. 7/2010) was introduced as a solution to this issue. For instance, 17th Amendment (Law No. 22/2025) to the Decentralisation Act was modified to add LGA’s responsibilities and administrative powers, allowing a decentralised management system by LGA.
The amendment dictates that, in order to provide LGA services on an administrative level, the capital island of each atoll is provided the option to run administrative offices dedicated to this purpose.
Atoll Council buildings, established on the capital island of each Atoll has now been allocated to LGA as ‘Atoll Offices’. These offices will be utilised to provide services for councils from LGA’s headquarters, and to provide training for councils, the LGA has stated.
The constitutional restructuring designates all LGA staff as civil servants. As Atoll Council staff are also civil servants, there will be no changes made to their employment or salaries, LGA has assured.
Furthermore, as ‘Atoll Offices’ would function as LGA branches, this would strengthen the bonds between the councils and LGA and facilitate carrying out LGA’s responsibilities as set by the constitution, LGA has added.